A new political party has come forth in this city-state amid simmering anger over immigration policies and income inequality, pledging to put “Singaporeans first” with a platform some analysts describe as populist and chauvinistic. Read More »

As Singapore’s decades-long rise in prosperity increasingly shows a widening wealth gap, this affluent city-state must do more to face up to the plight of its poor, a group of leading poverty researchers say.

Already, the government is stepping up social spending to help low-income citizens squeezed by stagnant wages and rising costs. But policy makers should go further and better define what it means to be poor in one of Asia’s leading financial centers. Read More »

As Singapore’s Parliamentary debates kicked off yesterday, many eyes were on Sylvia Lim. As chairman of the Workers’ Party, Singapore’s most successful opposition party that made history by winning six seats at this year’s general elections, her maiden speech was expected to help set the tone for the stronger opposition in the months ahead.

Her rallying cry, her first as an elected Member of Parliament, was not for the government to abolish contentious laws like the Internal Security Act or raise wages for lower-middle class Singaporeans. Instead, she asked: Does the government care if Singaporeans are happy? Read More »

Riding on the rejuvenated interest in the local political scene since the May 2011 general elections, many eyes in Singapore are turned towards Parliament House as the 12th session of parliament opens this afternoon.

This is the first time members of parliament in the city-state have met since April, when parliament was dissolved. In the months that followed, the country – whose politics rarely have surprised observers in the past – has seen some historic changes. Read More »

About Indonesia Real Time

Indonesia Real Time provides analysis and insight into the region, which includes Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos and Brunei. Contact the editors at SEAsia@wsj.com.

E-commerce sites and mobile apps are drawing on data they’ve collected from users to better understand how and when people shop during the Islamic holy month. Here’s a look at some of what they’ve discovered.

All that burning rubbish in Indonesia may be taking its toll, with nearly a quarter of people surveyed in a recent poll saying waste management was the most prominent environmental issue in the country.